Casimero fights Namibian for WBO crown Saturday in Manila
Johnriel Casimero (left) and Filipus Nghitumbwa (right) engage in a staredown after the weigh-in for their WBO Global Super bantamweight title fight at Okada Hotel and Casino in Manila. Treasure Boxing Promotions head Masayuki Ito (middle) holds the belt. | Screen grab from the weigh-in video streaming.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former three-division world champion, John Riel “Quadro Alas” Casimero and his opponent, Fillipus Nghitumbwa passed the mandatory weigh-in on Friday to push their regional title showdown Saturday evening in Okada Manila Hotel and Casino in Manila.
Casimero, the former World Boxing Organization (WBO) world bantamweight champion will fight in the heavier super bantamweight division for the first time.
He easily made weight at 121.6 pounds, while Nghitumbwa, the reigning WBO Global super bantamweight champion tipped the scales with the same weight.
Nghitumbwa will defend his title against Casimero for 12 rounds.
The fight card is promoted by Casimero’s newest promoters, the Japan-based Treasure Boxing Promotions of former world champion Masayuki Ito.
The 34-year-old Casimero of Merida, Leyte is trying to reassert himself as a world champion. And his first task is to dethrone the visiting African who is an inch taller than him.
Nghitumbwa stands at 5-foot-5, while Casimero is 5-foot-4.
Despite the height disparity, Casimero has all the advantages to snatch Nghitumbwa’s crown.
Besides fighting in front of a partisan crowd, Casimero is more experienced with 32 wins, 22 knockouts, and four defeats.
His previous bout last December was nothing short of impressive after scoring a second-round knockout against the taller Ryo Akaho of Japan.
Meanwhile, this will be Nghitumbwa’s first time fighting outside Namibia. Nghitumbwa has a 12-1 (win-loss) record with 11 knockouts. Casimero will be his first Filipino opponent. /rcg
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